Reimagining a Winner

To casual observers, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.’s G280 may look like a basic upgrade of its predecessor, the G200, in the super-midsize segment of business jets. It’s time to set the record straight.

While the two aircraft share a common fuselage, the G280 might as well be a clean-sheet design.

By exceeding nearly every performance goal that Gulfstream set when the aircraft was announced in 2008, the G280 effectively demonstrated that it could compete with larger aircraft costing millions of dollars more, such as the Dassault Falcon 2000S, Embraer Legacy 600 and Bombardier Challenger 605. It has a cabin volume of 935 cu. ft., a range of 3,600 nm and a normal cruise speed of Mach 0.80. And, like those larger jets, the G280 can fly at more than 530 mph from New York to London or Singapore to Dubai carrying four passengers plus crew.

Powered by two Honeywell HTF7250G engines, each rated at 7,624 lb. thrust, the G280 can climb directly to 43,000 ft. This enables it to fly well above the heavily trafficked North Atlantic routes that commercial jets fly on typically warm days, and sprint across the continental U.S. in 5.5 hours or less, when flying at Mach 0.84.

Even with the G280’s outsize speed and range, it still consumes up to 12% less fuel than any other aircraft in its class and needs only 4,750 ft. of runway at maximum weight, ensuring that long-range trips can depart from shorter airfields. Moreover, direct operating costs can be up to 30% less than larger-cabin aircraft like the G450 and G550.

Such capabilities are no happy accident. Gulfstream knew that the G280 would require certain aerodynamic qualities to achieve the performance that the company envisioned. Engineers borrowed heavily from the design of the airfoil or wing of Gulfstream’s iconic G550, widely considered the most capable production airplane in the world, with its blended winglets at the tips.

For all the performance that the G280 delivers at its $24.5 million price point, it’s the cabin that seems to impress G280 operators the most. Small wonder; many of the aircraft’s cabin features mimic those of the G550, Gulfstream’s ultra-long-range former flagship.

The cabin of the G280 offers nearly the same head and shoulder room as the G550. The cabin height of 6 ft. 3 in. is greater than that of any aircraft in its class. Such spaciousness allows the G280 to comfortably seat up to 10 passengers, with berthing for up to four people. Interior sound levels also come very close to those of the G550. Dual Blu-ray DVD players and high-definition monitors are standard features, and passengers have access to satellite phones and the option of high-speed Internet. Storage consists of 154 cu. ft., including a rear baggage compartment accessible from the cabin, the best in its class.

“For the price, this is an exceptional multimission aircraft,” says Steve Cass, vice president of communications for Gulfstream. “When we can get someone on a demonstration flight, there’s a good chance they are going to choose the G280.”